So, I didn''t quite get this out yesterday like I promised but, eh, whose really counting? Lol. I hope you all enjoy, and thank you to all of my signed AND anonymous reviewers! Every little word really does help towards encouraging fellow fanfiction writers! I look forward to hearing more from all of you! So, without further ado:

Stallion

Four

I've always kind of been a health nut.

Rukia teases me and says that it's because I grew up with a father that was a doctor, but I tend to ignore that. I haven't ever told her that my old man was more of a child than I was before he died, and I don't ever really intend on sharing that little piece of information either. It's really no ones business, and I don't make a habit out of trying to make my life into one big sob story. I'll leave that to people who have attention issues.

Once the little angry blue man holding a Bud Light sign in my skull stopped pounding against my brain I decided that the best way to reign in my increasing agitation would be to go for a run, and so now here I am.

It's not quite as satisfying to hear the crunch of gravel as my feet methodically hit the ground with each calculated step instead of the slap-slap of sneakers against pavement, but the way my blood thrums through my body and how my heart thuds evenly against my chest with each inhale and exhale I take… well, that's enough.

My IPOD is blaring some strange unknown techno trance music through my ears that Rukia has somehow managed to sneak onto it, for the thousandth time, but instead of getting irritated like I normally would with her antics, I welcome the darkly seductive tune that urges my legs to keep pumping.

The air here is a bit thinner than I am used to since the elevation is a bit higher than back home, but it doesn't bother me. When I had been in High School I had been on both the Soccer Team and the Track Team, and between the both of them and how many places they travelled away for games, I got used to adapting to this sort of thing.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath of fresh air… and immediately start cussing at myself in my head. Fresh air, indeed. Wrinkling up my nose and slowing to a long gaited walk I raise up my hand to rub at the tip of my nose as my eyes squint open in a glare.

Even this far down the graveled dirt driveway, with trees flanking either side of me, I can still smell those God-awful stinking beasts. At least their crap doesn't smell like dog shit. It's a different kind of smell that I can't quite place, but it's not pleasant in any way.

I decide maybe this running thing is over for the day and turn around just as my ears register a steady crunch-crunch-clop drawing closer to me from the direction I had been running. I turn half back to stare over my shoulder at the bend in the driveway just in time to see a very large, very intimidating, VERY FAST moving horse come barreling around the corner and I barely hold in my heart as it tries to jump out of my throat in the form of a startled cry as I skitter to the side of the road, grasping at the jutting branch of a tree as the animal slides to a stop, throwing rocks and a small cloud of dirt in my direction.

I stand gaping up at the prancing animal as my confusion and (though I won't admit this out loud to anyone, ever) fear threaten to send me skittering further into the trees, but then a gruff voice rips my attention away from the wide excited eyes and teeth bearing grin of the horse and up to the rider who sits astride him.

"What the hell you doin' standin' in the middle of the road?"

My fear starts to melt slowly away in the face of even more confusion and I can feel my eyebrows tugging forward towards the bridge of my nose as I grip the tree limb harder. "The…road…?" I mumble half consciously, staring up at the blazing blue eyes of the man that has seen fit to make my life as hard as possible the last day and a half.

He makes a noise in the back of his throat and I vaguely register him switching the reins… I think that's what their called… from his left hand to his right as he reaches up to tug that damnable dingy white cowboy hat from his head, naked forearm sliding across his forehead to wipe away beads of sweat.

Naked…. Forearm….

Holy Shit, do these people have no sense of decency?

The man still has no shirt on! I look down in almost detached fascination and see that yes, he is wearing pants, but his biting tone makes my confusion, and most of my otherwise good mood, evaporate.

"Yeah, the road. I coulda ran ya over if ya hadn't moved!" And plop goes the hat back on top of his head, shielding most of the wild blue hair from my view.

I feel something growing up inside of me… some dark, ugly thing that starts slowly clawing at the inside of my chest, and then it bursts forth out of me as I take a step towards the still dancing animal, my eyes locked up and scowling at the other man.

"Ran me over? On the road?" My voice is rising and half hysterical by now. I register this fact very mildly, as if I am standing at a far distance from what looks to be like a bad train wreck. "Look around you! This isn't a road! Hell, it's barely even enough to be considered a drive way! And for that matter, why are you letting that animal run down it if you do consider it a road! Roads are for cars. You know, the shiny modern things with wheels? You do know what a car is, right?"

By the end of my small little break down my voice has risen to a shout and I am standing almost arms length away from the smelly, sweaty horse with my fists clenched to my sides and my face heated up in angry frustration. What is wrong with these people? But, I'm not quite done yet.

"And five thirty in the morning! What the hell are roosters crowing for at five thirty in the morning? And YOU! Oh, YOU!" I raise a shaky hand and point a finger up at his surprised face as I continue on, "What the hell was going on this morning before the sun even came up? Machines right outside my window? Mowing the grass? The grass!" I turn on my heel and start stomping back towards the house, still heatedly speaking because I know he can hear it. "And put some fucking clothes on!"

I'm greeted with a heavy silence as I continue on, no sound of hooves against gravel following my departure.

Again, short, I know. The chapters will start to pick up length and speed now that I have his temper tantrum out of the way, and sorry he is so spoiled in this chapter, but he will change! :D And, for next chapter… Who is apologizing to who, and what comes of it? Yay.